Monday, 9 August 2010

Things I just found out about Singapore

I am not working today, it’s a public holiday here. The occasion…the Singapore National Day.

I didn’t know Singapore National Day is different from Malaysia’s. Did you?

I have always thought the Singapore’s president is a Chinese, because ya’ know, it’s a racist country… but it’s an Indian.

The national anthem of Singapore, is in Malay. Some of my friend’s say that’s the only Malay they can speak. But national anthem in Malay? Ok lah, not so surprising…

Watching the national parade (while blogging), I noticed the slogan above where all the VIPs sat showed… “Majulah Singapura”… interesting…

When the parade commander gave his command to the contingent… I thought he was going to shout “Attention!”. But instead, he shouted… “BARIS… BARIS SETIA!”… This apparently country conducts the national parade in Malay.

The Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade are in the marching contingent here. They used to be in the Malaysia national day parade too, but these Christian based uniformed organisations have since been removed from harmonious 1Malaysia national day parade.

I asked someone, a Singaporean… “National Day… independence from who?”“From you guys la…” I guess he meant Malaysia.“Haha… you guys are damn proud right?”“Of course! Otherwise, we will all end up like you”

Don’t know whether I should be sad or laugh at that statement. But I suppose he has a point. It’s ok lah, like so many anonymous fellas who commented… Malaysia is so much better than Singapore because Singaporean drinks processed pee water.

40 comments:

Im so disapointed at you...after da last few anon comments, i would expect a little more punch from your new post...alas only got sting ...You stl hv phobia of ISA even after u've left? da scar so deep eh....

s'pore has had 6 presidents, including current one; malay, eurasian, indian, chinese, chinese & indian, in that order.

so, how come they didn't think of using 1singapore?

maybe it's because the role of the president is largely ceremonial. the 3 PMs still run the country & so far, it's chinese, chinese & chinese, & the trend will remain so in the foreseeable future.

but we should not look along racial lines. s'pore is a resilient, successful, progressive, peaceful & harmonious society by any measure, & that says a lot about the leaders, irrespective of their ancestry.

Well, the current president is Indian, right. The anthem is Malays, right. But that's the image Singapore wants to portray, truth is PAP is running Singapore like a business since 60 years ago, it's a monarchy and the king is usually a Lee. I lived in both Singapore and Malaysia and I liked living in Malaysia more. Sure, I'm not a local, so I'll never really feel what it means to be Singaporean in Singapore and Malaysian in Malaysia. I think both countries need to change their political systems, but they won't. I see gloomy days ahead in that regard. But at least I'll return for the yummy food and friendly people :)

something out of the topic, well sort of.. but is within my curiosity... is "Baris, Sedia", right? Hahaha.. :P

Neway, yeah.. it amazed me too that BM still plays a part in their formal events.. and gained independence frm us, ya? Well, couldn't disagree on that.. hahaha... after all, they did prosper after that.. ;)

To me, Singaporeans are nationalists rather than racist. To them, only certain countries like the USA deserve to be and must be respected/admired whereas others are put into obscure categories to be disregarded.

Singapore was never on my list of places to live or work. Surprisingly, I had Cuba and South America on my list but never Singapore. 'tis a long story. ;)

I have long known that drills in Singapore Armed Forces are conducted in Malay (kiri kanan! kiri kanan! kiri kanan kiriii!)

I wrote about this somewhere that the RACIST Chinese in Singapore have evolved to become less racist and more accomodative to other races. That is what a strong and dominant race should do: ACCOMODATE. So you will find halal food in a military mess in Singapore but cannot find vegetarian food (for Hindus/Buddhists) in a military mess in Malaysia.

Whilst RACIST Chinese Singaporeans have evolved (as they rightly should), the Malay TUANS of Peninsula Malaysia have not but have in fact regressed in this evolutional cycle.

Ketuanan Bangsa Melayu is symptomatic of an inferiority complex, of insecurity over others.

Gosh! I'm glad you've found those interesting trivia from The Little Red Dot.

Though they are after all trivia, like they say, small things matter and these are the building blocks to their great success stories.

p.s. I find comments in relation to SG's NEWater sarcastically hilarious because we jeer at their pee water not knowing how our water reservoirs source their water from our filthy, polluted rivers, especially we, the unfortunate ones that live in Klang Valley (SYABAS' water quality is deplorable). SG's NEWater research centre has won many globally acclaimed awards, the water is so clean you could drink it straight from the tap and thanks to close proximity to SG, Johore people enjoy the cleanest water from SAJ - another award winning service provider.

How is ur your knee? and pray that you will heal soon. Tho' I am Malaysian and love my country's roti canai, ayam percik, chicken rice, cendol, I am living abroad for many years now.

Why do you think singapore is racist country? at least their president is indian and presidency changes from few races. the 'wong tai' race in msia never changes!! okay. :)

Singapore is really moving forward despite once a upon it used to be part of msia. they rather drink processed pee water than receiving threats from msia once tension issues arises to cut water supply.

The national anthem being sing in Malay because Malay is their national language, but other than that (excluding parade command) Malay as a national language remain insignificant to majority of the population. This is absolutely absurd, and most of the population don't even know the meaning of their national anthem.

A year or two ago there was a proposed to change the national anthem to mandarin, it just a matter of time when it will be. I know this because I live in Johor where I could watch their news on tv.

About the president, it's only for formality and don't hold any power, the prime minister will always be chinese and this even admitted by the Holy father of Red Dot...

pinknpurplelizard - well, to me... it's better than malaysia that will do.. for now...

Amanda Christine Wong - hehe...

Ir. Hanafi Ali - you changed your nick? yes, they have accommodate the non-chinese well and focusing on only doing the right things. malaysia is still living in ancient times, only care about the face.

Fi-sha - actually, it's much worse than that... if you know ppl who work in the piping industry or have connection to do pipes in KL... you would rather drink processed pee water.

simplechinese - well, good to have an open mind.

Ummie - not everything, but most things.

goingkookies - i dont deny that, there is no place like home... but if home sucks... then you just have to be "not at home".

anon aka the nurse - well, i was just being sarcastic calling singapore racist. actually, they are, but yet, they focus on the main things... the more important things. malaysia is racist and focus on all the stupid things.

anon @ 11/8 10.05am - hahaha... just like malayisa, the pm will always be malay... and also, the ceremonial leader will also be malay.

HuntressMoon - well, malaysians may not speak like phua chu hang, but not that malaysians are speaking any better.

I suppose those who emigrate to a certain country do so because the new country offers them better opportunities to live and survive. There will alwaus be issues that we do not agree with. Can't have everything. So Sungapore does have it's cracks. But cracks aside, it has what Zewt wants to live with.

Like for me, I'd choose a country that presents me the opportunity to have better healthcare. So far, it's the U.S. that presented me with the opportunity. I know that the the NHS in the U.K. is good too. I'd like to go there too. But so far, the U.S. has been offering me the opportunity that I need.

For people with the credentials and experience, Singapore and developed nations have better opportunities.

President nathan is nothing but A muppet who was installed by LKY and co. The previous President is Mr Goh, which is another muppet that his only tole is appear on TV and deliver a national day speech in hokkien.

why does the Island Republic need to install a president while the country is run by Prime minister & Senior Minister (LKY & co)?

I'm glad to report that despite all the insults Singaporeans have to endure from Malaysians, I have come across quite a few Singaporeans who are warm and friendly human beings and far more open-minded than their Malaysian counterparts. Most folks I spoke with in Singapore are just waiting for Kuan Yew, the God of No Mercy, to turn into a marble statue. That would signal the end of the Lee Dynasty and the promise of new political options - like greater acceptance of different worldviews, for instance.

I have long known that drills in Singapore Armed Forces are conducted in Malay (kiri kanan! kiri kanan! kiri kanan kiriii!)

I wrote about this somewhere that the RACIST Chinese in Singapore have evolved to become less racist and more accomodative to other races. That is what a strong and dominant race should do: ACCOMODATE. So you will find halal food in a military mess in Singapore but cannot find vegetarian food (for Hindus/Buddhists) in a military mess in Malaysia.

Whilst RACIST Chinese Singaporeans have evolved (as they rightly should), the Malay TUANS of Peninsula Malaysia have not but have in fact regressed in this evolutional cycle.

Ketuanan Bangsa Melayu is symptomatic of an inferiority complex, of insecurity over others.

Hanafi lu gila!

Melayu inferiority complex. If you are aiming to control the world that is call megalomaniac atau superiority complex.

Far from feeling inferior, Malays feel superior that is why they created Malay banking or Islamic Banking. There was no such thing as Islamic banking. Even todays the Arabs dont accept Malay Banking as not islamic.

But now the markets for sukuk is 60% in Malaysia. You call that inferiority complex?

The Malays Tunku was the first to fight against apartheid in SA in the commonwealth.

There are so many first. So definitely not. The Malays are just fighting to live their culture as they want in Tanah Melayu.

Remember that the Europeans were once megalomaniac with the Catholic Church Pope issuing Papal Bull to the Portuguse and Spanish Monarchies to kill and enslaved non Christians.

So the evil of Catholic Church is not just an imagination it was the cause why Alburguque came and kill the Malacca Sultan. Until today Malacca has no Sultan unlike other states.

goingkookies - exactly, dollar to dollar comparison, malaysia is such an expensive place, except for properties. taking mrt is not that bad if your place is near the station. of cos, when you have a family, can be tough. but hey... a BM 4 year old 5 series is SGD87k.

I see that you've been checking out second hand car market in Singapore. (SGCarMart? lol.. I love that site.)

The NEWater joke is just one of the things Singaporeans humbly use to lower themselves when talking to their Malaysian counterparts. Take that out of the picture and you have a country that trumps Malaysia in many aspect.

Before a Malaysian uses the NEWater joke on a Singaporean, stop and think, you don't want to spark a sure-lose war of words on who's-better-than-who.